Staff Reporter:
Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Friday raised a number of issues, including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s extradition, water sharing of common rivers, and border killings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the much-talked-about bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit.
Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam briefed reporters after the meeting.
“All issues of mutual interests were discussed. The meeting was very constructive, productive and fruitful,” he said.
The bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit is viewed as the most significant development in Dhaka-Delhi relations since the July Uprising in Bangladesh. This was the first-ever in-person meeting between the two South Asian leaders since the formation of Bangladesh’s interim government on 8 August last year, following the fall of the previous government on 5 August.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, High Representative to Chief Adviser Khalilur Rahman, Principal Coordinator on SDGs Affairs Lamiya Morshed, CA’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, and Foreign Secretary Md Jashim, among others, were present at the meeting, Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder told UNB.
This is the biggest India-Bangladesh diplomatic development since former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, and subsequent flight to Delhi (where she remains), observers say.
Earlier, Bangladesh approached India through the diplomatic channel to arrange a meeting between Yunus and Modi on the sidelines of the Summit.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India on Friday said the two leaders also discussed the issue of attacks on minorities, including Hindus, and illegal immigration.
“Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s support for democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. He underlined Prof Yunus India’s desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh,” Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.
In his pre-departure statement from India, Modi said he would meet the leaders of the BIMSTEC countries to discuss ways for strengthening collaboration, keeping the interests of people in mind.
“I look forward to meeting the leaders of the BIMSTEC countries and engaging productively to further strengthen our collaboration with the interests of our people in mind,” Modi said as he began his visit to Thailand and Sri Lanka on Thursday.
